Breaking NHL Trade: Sabres Trade JJ Peterka To Surprising Team

JJ Peterka's name has been atop trade boards everywhere, and it seemed to be only a matter of time before the Buffalo Sabres pulled the trigger on the unhappy restricted free agent. Late Wednesday night, Buffalo finalized a deal to send Peterka to the upstart Utah Mammoth, per insider Frank Seravalli.

TRADE: The Buffalo Sabres are sending JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan

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In exchange, the Sabres get two solid youngsters, Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan.

Mammoth owner Ryan Smith was anxious to make a big splash this summer, and this is a big one, as he nabs one of the top couple of RFAs, less than a week before Peterka would have been open for offer sheet picking from any team in the NHL.

As Seravalli wrote in his latest trade board, "There may be no better player available, period, on the trade market this summer."

The 23-year-old star-in-the-making has also agreed to an extension with Utah as part of the trade. It's a five-year, $38.5 million contract ($7.7 AAV), announced later on Thursday.

Peterka was being pursued by several other clubs as well, including the NY Rangers and Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks, among others.

The young top-line forward set career-highs with 41 assists and 68 points, to go with his 27 goals this past season.

Kesselring, 25, headed to Buffalo, is a big (6'5") right-shot defenseman, who has turned in a couple of fine seasons with the Coyotes/Mammoth, this past year registering 29 points with a +4 rating.

Doan is a 23-year-old forward who has put up some nice scoring numbers in the AHL, and this past year with Utah, posted 19 points in 51 games.